Total Complaints
14 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ CLK320 · model year
14 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2005MERCEDES-BENZCLK320 carries 14 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2005 CLK320 is electrical system with 3 filings, followed by tires (2) and seats (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 15 investigation files overlapping the 2005 CLK320. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
14 filings
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 3 |
| TIRES | 2 |
| SEATS | 2 |
| AIR BAGS | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS | 2 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
Transmission slips out of gear while driving when you accelerate.
MY 2005 MERCEDES CLK320 CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. I PULLED OVER, THE ENTIRE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND TOTALED. IT STARTED WITH SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE AC VENTS. WHEN I TURNED THE AC OFF THE SMOKE GOT WORSE AND FIRE PROCEEDED.
Mileage: 130,000
AT APPROXIMATELY 74,000 MILES THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT ELECTRIC EXTENDER WENT IN AND OUT 6 SIX TIMES UNCONTROLLABLY, THEN IN THE RETRACTED POSITION FAILED ALL TOGETHER, WHILE THE SEAT BELT ITSELF REMAINED IN THE SLACK POSITION AND WOULD NOT RETRACT. THIS MALFUNCTION LEFT THE FRONT DRIVERS SEAT BELT USELESS, A HUGE SAFETY RISK AND VIOLATES COLORADO SEAT BELT LAW. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF DOCUMENTED COMPLAINTS IN MULTIPLE MODEL AND YEARS OF THE SAME ISSUE WITH MERCEDES BENZ SEAT BELTS AS PUBLISHED ONLINE. THE LOCAL MERCEDES BENZ DEALER STATES THIS IS NOT A CONSUMER SERVICEABLE ITEM, AND MERCEDES BENZ SERVICE BULLETIN PASSES OFF THEIR MANUFACTURER DEFECT AS THE CONSUMERS FAULT FOR "SOILING THE SEAT BELT AND NOT KEEPING IT CLEAN" WHICH IS RUBBISH. MERCEDES BENZ DEALER QUOTE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE SEAT BELT SYSTEM FRONT DRIVER SIDE ONLY, $900.00. FRONT PASSENGER SIDE STARTING TO MALFUNCTION, REAR PASSENGER SIDE NOT FULLY RETRACTING WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE. THE LOCAL DEALER DID NOT
Mileage: 74,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES BENZ CLK320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED BUT THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND. IN ADDITION, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,680.
Mileage: 133,680
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES BENZ CLK320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED BUT THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND. IN ADDITION, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,680.
Mileage: 133,680
SRS LIGHT ON DIAGNOSIS FAULTY FRONT SEAT SENSOR AND CONTROL UNIT. SRS THEREFORE NO LONGER WORKING. THIS IS THE THIRD ONE OF THESE I HAVE HAD THAT HAS HAD THIS FAULT ALL ON MERCEDES. EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE THAT IS REPETITIVE AND CONTINUOUS. ISSUE NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO IMMEDIATELY! *TR
Mileage: 72,000
SEAT BELT EXTENDED WITHOUT TENSION AND CONTINUED TO RELEASE. SO THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WAS OF NO FUNCTIONAL USE. BROUGHT TO MERCEDES SERVICE, REPLACED ENTIRE SEAT-BELT AND RETRACTION SYSTEM. WAS TOLD THE WHEEL THAT RETRACTS THE BELT IS DEFECTIVE. SEEMS LIKE A REAL SAFETY ISSUE, MAYBE WHEN SOMEONE NEEDS THERE BELT, THIS WILL OCCUR, AND THE RESULT WILL NOT BE A SERVICE CALL, THIS SHOULD BE FIXED BY MERCEDES... *TR
Mileage: 217,000
SRS LIGHT APPEARED AND WE TOOK VEHICLE INTO DEALERSHIP AND WERE TOLD THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WAS DEFECTIVE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. WE HAD THE REPAIR DONE ON 10/03/14. WE THOUGHT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS SAFETY ISSUE SINCE THE VEHICLE IS LESS THAN 10 YEARS OLD. THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS NOT AND THE REPAIR CHARGES WERE PAID BY US. WONDERING IF THIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL RECALL FOR DEFECTIVE AIRBAGS. *TR
Mileage: 69,896
THE SRS LIGHT CAME ON ONCE BEFORE LIKE 6 MONTHS BACK, AND THE MECHANIC CLEARED THE CODE. THIS LIGHT CAME BACK ON SEPT 5, 2012. THE MERCEDES DEALER TOLD ME THAT THERE ARE 2 FAULT CODES: 1. 900B - PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE 2. 9243 - PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG IGNITION SQUIB THIS CAR HAS ONLY CLOSE TO 37,000 MILES. AND THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IN ACCIDENTS. THIS CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS AND IS IN PRISTINE CONDITION. I VERY STRONGLY FEEL THIS IS POOR WORKMANSHIP BY MERCEDES AND THEY SHOULD HAVE A RECALL TO FIX THIS AS THIS RELATES TO SAFETY. *TR
Mileage: 36,800
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES CLK320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS JUMP STARTED ALL OF THE SERVICE LIGHTS AND SENSORS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD TURN ON AND OFF. THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS WOULD ALSO ENGAGE AND DISENGAGE ON THEIR OWN. THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF BUT THE FAILURES CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THEY SUSPECT THAT IT COULD BE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 62,000.
Mileage: 62,000
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AUTOMATIC DRIVER SEAT IN THE VEHICLE MOVED FORWARD ON ITS OWN, PUSHING THE CONTACT INTO THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RECORDING THE CORRECT SEAT POSITION OF EACH DRIVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ALSO, BOTH FRONT TIRES MADE A THUMPING NOISE WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. A SERVICE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE WEAR ON THE TREAD WAS UNEVEN. DUE TO THE VEHICLE HAVING STAGGERED WHEELS, THE TIRES COULD NOT BE ROTATED.
Mileage: 20,000
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AUTOMATIC DRIVER SEAT IN THE VEHICLE MOVED FORWARD ON ITS OWN, PUSHING THE CONTACT INTO THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RECORDING THE CORRECT SEAT POSITION OF EACH DRIVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ALSO, BOTH FRONT TIRES MADE A THUMPING NOISE WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. A SERVICE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE WEAR ON THE TREAD WAS UNEVEN. DUE TO THE VEHICLE HAVING STAGGERED WHEELS, THE TIRES COULD NOT BE ROTATED.
Mileage: 20,000
BLOW OUT OF RIGHT REAR TIRE (COSTCO ITEM #758707 BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE RE750 245/40R17 ULTRA HIGH PERFORMANCE) RESULTING IN $2000 WORTH OF VEHICLE DAMAGE. DEFECTIVE TIRE REMNANTS SENT TO BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE. THEIR INSPECTOR DENIES THAT THE TIRE FAILURE WAS A RESULT OF A DEFECT IN MATERIALS OR WORKMANSHIP. I DO NOT BELIEVE THEY HAVE OBJECTIVELY EVALUATED THE TIRE REMAINS AND ARE ATTEMPTING TO AVOID EXCEPTING RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE BLOWOUT WHICH WOULD AMOUNT TO COVERING MY $2000 OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES. *JB
Mileage: 20,000
TIRES ON THE MERCEDES CLK320 ARE NOT DESIGNED TO LAST VERY LONG AND BECOME "BALD" QUICKLY CREATING DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE MANGER AT THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP THE TIRES SUPPLIED WITH THE CAR ARE RATED FOR ONLY 8,000 TO AT BEST 11,000 MILES. THEY TIRES CAN NOT HANDLE SIMPLY BRAKES IN THE ROAD AND RIP APART VERY EASILY. I KNOW OF SOMEONE ELSE WITH THIS CAR THAT HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME DANGEROUS CONDITIONS. *JB
Mileage: 15,518
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.